The present invention relates to an electrical wiring box and, more particularly, to an electrical wiring box having mounting elements attached thereto for use in mounting the wiring box within an opening in a supporting structure such as wallboard or panelling.
Mounting elements for use in mounting electrical wiring boxes within openings in supporting structures are well known to those skilled in the art. By way of example, in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,917,199 and 3,410,582 there is disclosed a pair of metal mounting elements which are adjustably attached by metal screws to the top and bottom walls of a metal electrical wiring box, each of the mounting elements having a pair of openings therein for receiving fasteners (e.g., screws) for mounting the wiring box to a supporting structure. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,458 there is disclosed a pair of metal mounting elements which are permanently molded into a plastic wiring box adjacent to the top and bottom walls of the wiring box, openings also being provided in these mounting elements for receiving fasteners for mounting the wiring box to a supporting structure.
While the abovedescribed mounting elements are quite satisfactory for mounting wiring boxes to supporting structures, the techniques by which these mounting elements are attached to the wiring boxes during the manufacture of the wiring boxes have certain drawbacks. In particular, in the case of metal mounting elements, it is costly and time consuming to attach these mounting elements to wiring boxes by the use of metal screws, especially in the case of plastic wiring boxes, inasmuch as this involves either drilling openings or forming threaded openings in the top and bottom walls of the boxes and then threading screws into the openings. Further, it is not practical to use metal mounting elements in situations, as in the present invention, where adjustability of the mounting elements is not necessary. In addition, there is always the possibility that the mounting elements will not be properly attached to wiring boxes or will fit loosely with the boxes due to the possible inadvertent loosening of the screws. In the case of metal mounting elements molded into a plastic wiring box, the molding of these mounting elements into the wiring box is a time-consuming operation and increases the total molding time required for the manufacture of the wiring box. Furthermore, the "molding in" of metal mounting elements requires careful attention and supervision by a skilled operator of the molding equipment.